Tobacco smoking is the number one preventable cause of death in the United States and in the world. Health disparities related to tobacco addiction are widening, with the highest prevalence of tobacco use and tobacco-attributable death and diseases in populations with the least income and education. Furthermore, smoking is a complex addictive behavior resulting from different factors which makes it very difficult, especially for those with fewer resources, to change their behavior. The proposed project, "Implementation and Dissemination of a CBPR Intervention to Reduce Tobacco Use," aims to investigate and engage more communities in dissemination and implementation of the Communities Engaged and Advocating for a Smoke-free Environment (CEASE) intervention developed with support from the NIMHD CBPR Intervention grant.
The specific aims of the proposed project are: (1) to explore the effects of different factors on successful dissemination and implementation of the CEASE intervention;(2) to identify effective strategies for sustaining the intervention in similar communities and organizations;and (3) to identify barriers and enablers to adoption of the program by other communities and organizations interested in reducing smoking rates among health disparity populations. This study is designed based on several theoretical frameworks of dissemination and implementation research at individual, group, organizational, and community levels. The project's processes and outcomes will be evaluated in partnership with the local community using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The findings of the proposed project will help improve understanding of important factors related to the successful dissemination, adoption, implementation, adaptation, and sustainability of the intervention in similar community-based settings.

Public Health Relevance

It's expected that the project will significantly help residents of less-advantaged populations quit smoking and ultimately lead to the reduction and elimination of tobacco-related health disparities. Specifically, the successful dissemination and implementation of the CEASE intervention will help many similar communities (nationwide) to play a more effective role in reducing the rates of smoking among their residents.